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| Consumer focus makes 2008 Ford Super Duty king of the working trucks
The new 2008 F-Series Super Duty arrives in showrooms early next year, timed to ward off intense new competition and drive Ford trucks to a 31st consecutive year of sales leadership | |||
| 18 Dec 2006
, Dearborn
: The new 2008 F-Series Super Duty arrives in showrooms early next year, timed to ward off intense new competition and drive Ford trucks to a 31st consecutive year of sales leadership. "Ford has maintained its truck leadership by concentrating on what's important to the consumer," said Ben Poore, Ford Truck marketing manager. "We always try to raise the bar in capability, power, innovation, refinement and style. With the new F-Series super duty, we have produced the most bold and capable truck ever." The Texas Auto Writers Association recently confirmed Ford's belief by honoring the F-250 Super Duty 4X4 Crew Cab as the Truck of Texas while voting Ford as having the Best Truck Line of Texas. The F-250 Super Duty 4X4 Crew Cab was also awarded for Best Designed Pick Up and Best Use of Technology Pick Up. The current 2007 Super Duty already offers industry-leading towing capacity at 19,200 pounds and industry leading payload at 5,800 pounds. The next 2008 Super duty will achieve an even greater competitive advantage with 24,500 pounds of towing capacity and payload increased to 6,120 pounds. The 2008 Super Duty's increased capabilities are due to the new F-450 with its own unique chasis. Its combination of axle, powertrain and suspension enables greater towing capacity while offering a comfortable ride, and greater maneuverability and turning radius. Adding to the F-Series Super Duty's towing abilities is the optional TowCommand™ System that features the industry's first integrated trailer brake controller and the optional TorqShift™ five-speed automatic transmission. For 2008, a new 6.4-liter Power Stroke® Diesel engine is available, delivering 350 hp and 650 lb.-ft. of torque and utilizing Ford's Clean Diesel Technology that reduces particulate emissions by 90 percent. These kinds of improvements come from Ford's paying close attention to how its truck customers actually use their vehicles. At least 90 percent of owners tow with the truck and the same amount if not more haul with the Super Duty, according to Poore. "With the diesel, for instance, we maximized torque at around 2,000 rpm," Poore said. "When our customers are hauling big loads they need more torque at low speeds to move quickly off the line." As a result of this attention to customer needs, the 2008 Super Duty introduces an industry-first optional Tailgate Step, a fully-integrated step system that when deployed makes getting into and out of the bed easy and convenient. In the same sense, the 2008 Super Duty offers industry exclusive PowerScope integrated power-folding and power-telescoping mirrors. The large mirrors extend outward up to 2.75 inches and feature a power-adjustable main mirror with a manually adjusted spotter mirror. The mirrors provide greater visibility when parking and towing, for example, and since they are operated from inside the cab, make manual adjustments from outside the cab unnecessary. Also new for working people is a stowable bed extender. It is the only bed extender that separates into two pieces that fold and snap securely to the sides of the bed, allowing full space and functionality of the bed when the extender is not needed. The design allows use of the bed without removing the extenders. Whatever the competitors bring to the market, the Super Duty stills has a major competitive advantage, namely that the Super Duties are not just beefed up F-150s. Since its launch in 1998, the Super Duties have had their own unique architecture designed specifically for a working truck, a claim the competitors can't make. The 2008 Super Duty sports a redesigned exterior with large prominent grille, sharply sculpted fender flares and fender-mounted air vents. The new front has the frame horns lowered by seven inches, meeting vehicle compatibility standards for safety and while improving cooling. The truck uses a high-strength steel front body for a rigid foundation. The interior features all-new materials, surfaces and accents and a prominent center stack that integrates most of the vehicle's controls. The climate control system is redesigned and a dual-zone system has been added as standard on the Lariat and King Ranch models. Diesel customers can opt for the first-of-its-kind Rapid Heat supplemental cab heater that provides faster warm-up of the cab for drivers and passengers on cold mornings. The new diesel is also quieter than previous models, adding to the cabin's refinement with noise reduction. "With the F-150 we took truck interiors to an all new level of comfort, refinement and styling," Poore said. "For 2008 we've taken this innovative interior approach and applied it to the Super Duty." All audio systems are now MP3 capable with a standard auxiliary audio input. A DVD navigation system with an in-dash screen is available on the FX4 and Lariat SuperCabs and Crew Cabs. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available on the XLT, FX4 and Lariat Crew Cabs. |
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